Instantly Mediterranean: Vibrant, Satisfying Recipes for Your Instant Pot®, Electric Pressure Cooker, and Air Fryer: A Cookbook

By Emily Paster

100 Mediterranean recipes as delicious as they are healthy for your electric multicooker, Instant Pot, and air fryer!

Air fryers and electric multicookers, such as the Instant Pot, can make delicious dinners in a snap. Instantly Mediterranean delivers recipes developed especially for all of these indispensable countertop appliances, so you can prepare Mediterranean dishes, known for being low in saturated fats and high on flavor, quicker than ever.

From soups and starters to mains and desserts, wow your family with 100 healthful and tasty dishes delivered with the convenience of your Instant Pot or air fryer, including:
-Tomato & Pepper Shakshuka
-Man’oushe, Lebanese Flatbread with Za’atar
-Ratatouille
-Turkish Stuffed Cabbage with Lamb
-Italian Sausage Ragù
-and more!

With tips on using these appliances along with information on how to stock a Mediterranean pantry easily, this beautifully photographed book will help anyone bring healthy food that everyone wants to eat to the table.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Simon & Schuster
• Release date: Sep 14, 2021
• ISBN: 9781982173081

Emily Paster

A lawyer turned food writer, Emily Paster brings passion, intellectual curiosity, and attention to detail to her globally inspired, family-friendly cuisine. She has written three cookbooks, Food Swap, The Joys of Jewish Preserving, and the bestselling Epic Air Fryer. You can find Emily’s recipes and writing in such publications as Midwest Living, Allrecipes magazine, Food52, Eater Chicago, and The Nosher. Emily also teaches culinary classes at the Chicago Botanic Garden. She lives outside Chicago with her husband and two teenage children. Visit her online at WestoftheLoop.com.

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Cover: Instantly Mediterranean, by Emily Paster

Instantly Mediterranean

Vibrant, Satisfying Recipes for Your Instant Pot®, Electric Pressure Cooker & Air Fryer

Emily Paster

with Photography by Leigh Olson

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Instantly Mediterranean, by Emily Paster, Tiller Press

To my daughter, Zoë Regenstein, a Jewish girl with a Greek name.

You first saw the Mediterranean only a few months before I started writing this book, but you have always understood the importance of a coastline, sparkling water, and, above all, good food.

Introduction

Like many of you, I love my Instant Pot®.

For the past several years, I have used it nearly every day, whether I am steaming a dozen hard-boiled eggs to satisfy a ravenous teenage boy; turning chicken bones into rich, golden stock; or making a one-pot dinner for my family. I have been amazed by all the different ways the Instant Pot makes my life easier. Not only does it allow me to cook certain dishes—and foods—that previously seemed too time-consuming, but the hands-off nature of today’s electric pressure cookers also makes it easy to prepare meals in advance to accommodate my kids’ crazy schedules. In short, these appliances are a godsend for a busy working parent like me.

More recently, another appliance has come into my life: the air fryer. Like many people, at first I thought the air fryer was a one-trick pony, designed to make fried foods without all the fat of deep-frying. I quickly learned that air fryers can do so much more. They deliver crispy chicken, caramelized vegetables, and seared-on-the-outside, tender-on-the-inside meat and fish—all in a fraction of the time it would take in the oven. The air fryer has quickly become my family’s go-to appliance for reheating leftovers, roasting vegetables, and, of course, creating healthier versions of deep-fried favorites. In short, my electric pressure cooker and my air fryer have become important allies in the ongoing fight to make mealtime easier, more convenient, and less stressful.

One of the main reasons I have embraced the electric pressure cooker and the air fryer so enthusiastically in both my personal and professional lives is that these appliances not only make it easier to cook in general, but have made it easier for me to cook my very favorite types of food. Pressure cooking, in particular, allows me, in my everyday working-mom life, to cook the kinds of foods I used to cook before I had children and the kinds of dishes I make when I am developing recipes for work—healthy foods like beans, legumes, and whole grains; elegant soups and hearty stews; and succulent braised meats.

I began to realize that by using these beloved kitchen appliances, it was easier than ever for me to cook the Mediterranean, Middle Eastern, and North African foods that are my passion. It also occurred to me that many home cooks are likewise drawn to Mediterranean cuisine, with its reputation for rich flavors and healthfulness, and that these appliances could make it more accessible and realistic for them as well. It was then that the idea for this book was born.

TASTING MEDITERRANEAN

I first dipped my toes in the azure waters of the Mediterranean Sea on a family trip to Provence and the South of France when I was fourteen years old. My most recent visit to the Mediterranean was in late 2019, when my husband and I took our teenage children to Israel and Jordan. Between 1988 and 2019, I was lucky enough to travel to many parts of Spain and Italy, as well as return to France many times. In college—where I majored in French—I spent a year living in Paris with the Zémors, a Sephardic Jewish family who hailed from Algeria but had moved to France when Algeria gained its independence in the 1950s. During that year with my generous and warm hosts, I ate extraordinary French and North African food and celebrated a year’s worth of Jewish holidays in the Sephardic tradition—experiences that altered me forever.

My travels around the Mediterranean, my formative experience living with a North African Jewish family in France, and my own Jewish identity have all contributed to my abiding passion for and interest in the food of the Mediterranean. As a food writer and recipe developer, I have spent years learning about and cooking the food of this region—with a focus on the cuisines of the Sephardic Jews and Israel in particular. I have come to the conclusion that Mediterranean food (about which I will say much more in the pages that follow) is among the healthiest, most sustainable, and tastiest food in the world. And now it is easier than ever to prepare this food at home in a way that fits our hectic contemporary lifestyle. I am thrilled to show you how to use your electric pressure cooker and air fryer to make Mediterranean cuisine if not quite in an instant, then at least in less time than ever before.

There is nothing more Mediterranean than taking delight in preparing delicious, nourishing food and serving it to friends, family, and cherished guests. It is my sincere hope that whether you are cooking dinner on a busy weeknight or preparing a holiday feast for a crowd, these recipes will help you channel that Mediterranean spirit in your own kitchen.

WHAT IS MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE?

On the surface, the answer to this question is quite simple: it is the cuisine of the region surrounding the Mediterranean Sea. But the real answer is much more complicated, in part because the land surrounding the Mediterranean Sea is not monolithic. The part of the globe that we try to encapsulate in the phrase the Mediterranean is, in truth, incredibly rich, diverse, and varied—in topography, culture, religion, and history.

The Mediterranean is made up of several distinct regions, including southern Europe; Greece and Turkey, which is known as the eastern Mediterranean; the part of the Middle East that is often called the Levant; and North Africa. Over twenty countries border the Mediterranean, from Spain and Morocco on one end to Syria, Lebanon, Israel, and Egypt on the other. These countries are Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Muslim, and Jewish; their lands include high mountains and rocky shores, sandy beaches and coastal wetlands, semi-arid steppes and thick scrub.

All these different regions have their own cuisines and culinary traditions. Indeed, the concept of a distinctive pan-Mediterranean cuisine is actually quite recent; some attribute it to Elizabeth David’s classic 1950 tome A Book of Mediterranean Food. And yet these widely varied regions and countries do share some common traits that link them together—geographically, culturally, and, yes, culinarily—so that we may, in fairness, talk about the Mediterranean as a region with a distinct cuisine. First, there is the Mediterranean Sea (once known simply as the Great Sea), which lends its name to, and connects, the entire region. Naturally, seafood is an important part of all Mediterranean cuisines, although how that seafood is prepared—and indeed which seafood the people will eat—varies from country to country.

There is also a distinct climate to the Mediterranean region: hot and dry summers and mild but wet winters through which occasionally blows a fierce wind—be it the mistral in Provence or the sirocco, which travels from North Africa to Italy and Malta. A common climate naturally leads to some common crops. Olives grow all over the region and have been cultivated since ancient times. Thus, olive oil is the preferred fat of the Mediterranean, which is not to say that butter and animal fats, such as lard, are never used. But you simply cannot have Mediterranean food without olive oil.

Wheat was one of the first grains to be domesticated by humans, and that practice began in the eastern Mediterranean. Since those early days—before recorded history, even—wheat, particularly durum wheat, has occupied a significant portion of the Mediterranean’s arable land. So it is not surprising that bread is another ingredient found all around the Mediterranean Sea, be it Provençal fougasse, Italian focaccia, Turkish pide, or Middle Eastern pita.

There are, of course, other foods that are common to all—or nearly all—cuisines of the Mediterranean: legumes, beans, and pulses; cheese and yogurt; members of the allium family, including leeks, onions, and garlic; fresh green herbs, like dill, oregano, thyme, parsley, and mint; grapes; citrus fruits; and certain vegetables, some of which are native to the region, like fennel, and some of which did not even arrive in the Mediterranean until as late as the 1500s—that is, New World vegetables like tomatoes and peppers.

The fact that the different parts of the Mediterranean share so many common ingredients—some of which are not even native to the area—highlights another important characteristic of the region: its interconnectedness. The people of the Mediterranean have always interacted with one another, even though they came from different tribes, empires, cultures, and religions. Through the ages, they traded with one another, fought with one another, conquered one another, tolerated one another, and colonized one another. And all the while, the various peoples of the Mediterranean were simultaneously interacting with other civilizations and cultures outside the region. The famed Silk Road that ran through Central Asia on its way to China passed through the eastern Mediterranean. The Roman Empire, at one time, stretched all the way to England. The Arabs of the Middle East traded extensively with the Persians. A few centuries later, the Spanish established trade routes with the Americas. And so, once a spice, vegetable, or cooking technique arrived in one part of the Mediterranean, it could easily spread to the whole region. The best example of this is, once again, the tomato—that New World vegetable (or fruit, technically) without which we can hardly imagine Mediterranean food.

SEASONAL EATING

Beyond ingredients, there are certain ways of thinking about, preparing, and even consuming food that are common to the different parts of the Mediterranean. With its distinctive climate that permits agriculture nearly all year round, the Mediterranean region has always allowed for eating with the seasons in a way that was not possible in other, harsher climes, where preserving summer foods to last through the winter was the only way to survive. (Which is not to say that Mediterranean cooks did not seek to preserve their seasonal crops; they certainly did, and still do today.) Perhaps because of the wide variety of flavorful ingredients available to them, the people of the Mediterranean have long made preparing, serving, and enjoying food central to their lives. Mealtimes are leisurely, guests are welcome, and good cooks—be they a grandmother, a neighbor, or a local restaurant owner—are celebrated.

Nowhere is this passion for eating, drinking, and sharing food with family and friends more evident than the tradition—nearly universal around the Mediterranean—of a spread of small plates to be enjoyed before, or in between, meals, and usually over a glass of the local spirit. In Spain, these plates are called tapas; in Greece, mezedes; in Venice, cichetti; and in the Middle East and North Africa, mezze. The name may differ, but the concept remains the same. Sitting with friends over a glass and a spread of small plates—which may be hot or cold, raw or cooked, but are invariably delicious—is a way of life around the Mediterranean.

MEDITERRANEAN CUISINE VS. THE MEDITERRANEAN DIET

Because of the fertility of the land and the long tradition of agriculture in the Mediterranean, the diet of the region’s people grew, over centuries, to emphasize cereal grains, vegetables and fruit, and seafood, with little meat. This type of diet is naturally quite healthy, particularly for the cardiovascular system. The health benefits of Mediterranean cuisine became widely known in the 1970s with the emergence of scientific research—some of which has since been debunked—showing that the people of the Mediterranean had lower incidences of heart disease than their counterparts in northern Europe. Since then, many people have adopted the so-called Mediterranean diet, which is not the same thing as Mediterranean cuisine. The Mediterranean diet, for example, focuses on how people eat in Italy and Greece in particular, which, as we know, is only a fraction of the Mediterranean region. The Mediterranean diet also incorporates ingredients that are heart-healthy, but not actually native to the region—salmon, for example.

It is important to note that this book is inspired by Mediterranean cuisine, not the Mediterranean diet. I have drawn upon the traditions and foodways of the entire region—not just southern Europe—for these recipes. Indeed, alongside familiar French, Spanish, and Italian dishes, you will find plenty of recipes from Turkey, Israel, Egypt, and North Africa. And I have tried to focus, if not exclusively, then at least heavily on truly Mediterranean ingredients—to the extent that they are readily available in North America. While many of the recipes in this book are extremely healthy—with lots of whole grains, vegetables, and plant-based protein—this is not a diet book; the recipes are healthy because the food of the Mediterranean is naturally so. In addition to the (many) light, fresh, plant-based recipes, there are also plenty of recipes that are hearty and designed to fortify you on a chilly night. You will likewise find some indulgent desserts that could hardly be considered health food but are worthy of a special occasion. And in truth, balancing freshness, vibrancy, and healthfulness on the one hand with comfort, pleasure, and celebration on the other is very much the ethos of the Mediterranean.

CREATING YOUR OWN MEZZE SPREAD

Whether it is Spain’s tapas or the Middle East’s mezze, sharing a spread of small plates among friends, family, or guests is a Mediterranean tradition. While Spanish tapas are usually enjoyed at a restaurant, people in the Middle East often serve mezze at home—not surprising, perhaps, in a part of the world where hospitality is a cardinal virtue. But offering mezze to your guests is not supposed to be difficult or a burden; it is supposed to be as pleasurable to serve mezze as it is to eat them. To that end, the food is typically prepared in advance or can be cooked or assembled quickly to allow the host to relax and partake as well. And everyone simply helps themselves, without fuss or formality.

With the help of your electric pressure cooker, air fryer, and the recipes in this book, you can create a Mediterranean mezze spread of your own that will allow you to stay cool and relaxed while entertaining. To plan your menu, start with some easy, store-bought items, such as marinated olives, nuts, or vegetable crudités. Then select two or three different dips to prepare in the days before the party. Aim for one creamy, starchy dip like Smooth and Creamy Hummus

or Skordalia

; a yogurt-based one like Quick Labneh

or Tzatziki

; and a seasonal vegetable spread, such as Matbucha

, Pumpkin Chershi

, or Muhammara

. Feel free to buy bread to save time, but if you are feeling ambitious, make your own Whole Wheat Pita

or Laffa Bread

to go with the dips.

To round out the spread, include a cold salad or two, such as Classic Tabbouleh

, Jeweled Barley Salad

, Lebanese Potato Salad

, or Circassian Chicken

—all of which can be prepared hours before the party. Finally, add one or two hot dishes that can either be prepared in advance and kept warm, such as Albóndigas

, or formed in advance and cooked in the air fryer at the last minute, such as Arancini di Riso

, Fried Potatoes with Smoked Paprika Aioli

, or Herby Green Falafel

. Be sure to keep the menu well balanced; for example, if you include a potato salad, do not serve fried potatoes as well. Or embrace a theme: create a Greek-inspired spread with skordalia, tzatziki, Gigantes Plaki

, and Lamb and Bulgur Kofta

. Above all, do as much as you can in advance so you can embrace the mezze spirit and have a wonderful time at your own party.

The Mediterranean Pantry

Many of the Mediterranean’s best-loved ingredients are now familiar to Americans as well. Twenty-first-century Americans think nothing of cooking with olive oil, yogurt, whole grains, garlic, and fresh herbs. Given the rise in popularity of Middle Eastern cuisine, we are even starting to be blasé about chickpeas and tahini. Nearly all American supermarkets today carry an impressive variety of Mediterranean ingredients; combine that with the ability to order almost anything online, and there are very few regional Mediterranean foods that are truly impossible to source with a little advance notice.

In this book, I have made every effort to call for ingredients that are readily available at a typical grocery store, with some here and there that might require a trip to Whole Foods or Trader Joe’s. There are a handful of ingredients, at most, that you might have to source online or at a Middle Eastern market, but they are well worth the extra effort to achieve authentic Mediterranean flavor. The following list notes a few ingredients that are part of a well-stocked Mediterranean pantry but are less common in North America.

ALEPPO PEPPER: A spice made from ground dried Halaby peppers, a variety of red chile. Named after the Syrian city of Aleppo, this spice is known for its mild heat and fruity, earthy flavor and is commonly used in Middle Eastern cuisine.

BAHARAT: A warm, earthy Middle Eastern spice blend that typically contains paprika, coriander, cumin, cardamom, allspice, cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon, and black pepper.

BULGUR: Cracked whole-grain durum wheat groats that come in different grinds, from coarse to extra-fine. Bulgur is used frequently in Middle Eastern and Turkish cuisine.

DUKKAH: An Egyptian nut-and-seed mixture typically consisting of hazelnuts and sesame, cumin, fennel, and coriander seeds. Find a recipe on page 81

.

HARISSA: A spicy, fruity chile paste popular in North Africa and the Middle East, made with sweet and hot peppers, garlic, olive oil, and warm, earthy spices.

LENTILS: A kind of pulse (the edible seed of a plant in the legume family), like chickpeas and fava beans. There are many varieties, including red, brown, black, beluga, and green Le Puy lentils from France. Lentils are an important source of vegetable-based protein, high in fiber and vitamins such as iron, potassium, and folate.

PINE NUTS: Also known as pignoli or piñons, pine nuts are the edible seeds of pine trees, not true nuts. They are common in many Mediterranean cuisines, especially Italian.

POMEGRANATE MOLASSES: Pomegranate juice that has been reduced, with or without added sugar, to a thick, sweet-tart syrup. Used in Middle Eastern and Persian cooking.

PRESERVED LEMONS: Lemons that have been pickled in salt and their own juices. Commonly used in North African cuisine.

RAS EL HANOUT: A pricey and luxurious Moroccan spice blend that typically includes, among other ingredients, black pepper, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, cumin, cardamom pods, rose petals, and grains of paradise, which are the seeds of a West African plant known for their pungency.

ROSE WATER: Water infused with the essence of roses. Used as a flavoring agent, rose water is an important ingredient in Middle Eastern, Indian, and Persian cuisines.

SMOKED PAPRIKA: A spice ground from dried smoked pimiento peppers. Sometimes called pimentón or Spanish paprika, smoked paprika is characterized by its bright red color and smoky aroma and flavor.

SUMAC: A tart, citrusy spice made from ground sumac berries. Sumac is an essential component in the Middle Eastern spice blend za’atar.

TAHINI: A paste made from ground sesame seeds. Widely used in Middle Eastern cooking.

ZA’ATAR: The name for both a variety of wild thyme that grows in the Middle East and a popular seasoning made by combining the dried herb with sumac and sesame seeds.

How to Use an Electric Pressure Cooker

In the past decade, there has been a revolution in home cooking. In the never-ending quest to make cooking and preparing meals more convenient and accessible, busy cooks have given in to the pressure—pressure cooking, that is. Electric pressure cookers, led by the ubiquitous Instant Pot, burst onto the scene in 2010 and grow more popular every year. Nearly every established kitchen brand has created its own programmable electric pressure cooker or multicooker. New, more elaborate models—and new accessories for these appliances—come out every year.

With enhanced safety features and multiple, easy-to-use settings, this generation of electric pressure cookers is empowering home cooks of all types to create succulent soups, stews, and braises in a fraction of the time these dishes would take to cook on the stove. Healthy, plant-based meals made with beans, legumes, and whole grains no longer require long soaks and hours of simmering to emerge tender and perfectly cooked. Electric pressure cookers even take the uncertainty out of cooking delicate ingredients like eggs, custards, and seafood.

The Instant Pot and its raft of competitors offer many advantages over traditional stovetop cooking and oven roasting. The most obvious advantage is speed. By combining heat and pressure, electric pressure cookers are able to cook certain types of foods—namely tough cuts of meat, dried legumes, and firm vegetables—in a fraction of the time it would take on the stove. But there are other advantages as well, such as how little monitoring these appliances require. Once you place your food in your Instant Pot or other pressure cooker,